We are shocked and saddened to hear of O. J. Murdock’s death this morning. In his brief time here, a number of our players, coaches and staff had grown close to O. J. , and this is a difficult time for them. He spent the last year battling back from an Achilles injury as he prepared for this year’s training camp. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as they try to cope with this tragedy.

Murdock is the fourth NFL player — Junior Seau, Ray Easterling and Dave Duerson — to die of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the last year and a half. The sixth NFL star to commit suicide in the past two years.